Serving the Whole Student with a Giant Hug of Wraparound Support

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Happiness

I’ve been working with one of my Family Coaching students for a few months now and this past week it just all came together for him in the best kind of way.

When I started working with Zack (a cool name but not his real name) he had recently been suspended and before that was constantly in and out of the principal’s office. Like so many naturally bright kids his age, Zack was on and off ADHD meds, labeled a Behavior Problem in the classroom, and assumed the roles of both bully and victim mostly because it took him longer than his peers to decipher the social nuances of middle school friendships. The heavens must have parted because this week Zack initiated a conscious leap forward and it finally just all clicked! Of course there were many pieces of the puzzle that we had to put together to help him get back on track: homework consistency, sensory supports, executive function skills, social learning, collaboration between the school, the home, and support services, private tutoring, instituting structure at home and at school, appropriate classroom behavior and rapport with authority figures, and most importantly accepting the need for change and acting upon it with humility and grace. Now knowing that Zack can confidently continue to move forward though, no matter how big or small the steps, I find myself breathing a sigh of relief, exhaling while a smile effortlessly forms across my face. I know it sounds sappy but I am truly happy for his progress and that’s because I love what I do: helping others experience that “ah ha”, confidence-building moment. Those are the moments where I get a glimpse into the future and know everything is going to be okay for this child who was once lost in the system.

Happiness. I’m finding out that happiness should be the root of every calling, every profession. For a long time I was on the corporate track to success but it never quite fit. I couldn’t pinpoint what was missing and so like many I know I set my sights on that goal but it ended up placing me in an emotional conflict. It was only when I took a different path from my peers that I found the combination of happiness and success.

As you launch into the weekend, take a breath and think about the moments that really make you happy. Is it being on the playroom floor with your five-year-old while she colors outside the lines? Is it reading a good novel or the Sunday paper with your fingers gently wrapped around a fresh cup of coffee while the rest of your family is still sleeping? We need more of these quiet moments to figure out our own happiness. I can honestly tell you that I’m so glad I decided to stray from the pack and carve out my own piece of happiness.